Missed the Boat
by tFantasyFan
Summary: Luffy, Usopp and a surprisingly simple resolution to the events of Water 7.


_Luffy-Usopp genfic, what is this madness. I was inspired._

_Disclaimer: Disclaimed.

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Usopp is certain he'll never recover from the novelty of lying in the grass while adrift in the middle of the ocean. The islands they've visited never seem to allow them time for such luxury while they're on real land, so he is more than happy to take what he can get. It smells right, it tickles, it bends with the breeze, Franky has to trim it every so often which means that it grows, which means that it's real- so Usopp stretches his battered body out gingerly and basks in the fact that it being real is just that overwhelming.

Closes his eyes and soaks in the sun, feels it seep into his limbs and hopes that it works like it used to: he aches from his feet to his head, has felt it right down to the bone and to his core since they left Water 7 behind. There is a deep-settled hollow feeling in his chest that he cannot describe properly, always present no matter how hard he works, how much hot chocolate he sips at while on watch, undissolved even in the forgiveness and understanding in the faces that surround him and it feels cold. Like quiet houses and empty beds and the sound of splintering wood and being alone with something that you know is dying. Maybe it's always been in there.

Maybe he really just needs the sun and the grass and the ocean to fix himself, just like always.

He is absorbed in trying to do so for a long time- dozing, he could easily be back in East Blue, by the shore, always waiting for things that will never come and with all the time in the world for doing it. His arm is lifted from the ground by another hand, sluggishly tugging him towards being fully aware. Bandages are pulled at until they come loose and are unraveled and he makes no move to prevent it- until he recalls with sudden clarity that Chopper has either hooves or furry fingers and the hands he's encountering are very much human.

The decision to squawk and heave upwards earns him a temporarily blinding collision with the head of his captain, who seems to have decided to carry half of the infirmary out to the lawn with him for this particular voyage. Usopp graces him with a very flat look, to which Luffy simply replies: "changing your bandages."

This is less than reassuring to him and he skillfully avoids a somewhat impatient grab- it's a habit born of longstanding cowardice and one that he intends to continue utilizing as long as he can. "O-oi, that's Chopper's job isn't it? He'll get mad if he sees you with all his bandages, you know, Luffy-"

-but Luffy just smiles and laughs and waves it off because he's Luffy and that's what he does. "I told him I wanted to do it, and he told me what to do. Don't worry so much, I'm gonna be careful."

Usopp briefly considers arguing further, but Luffy's eyes and smile are suddenly sharp like he knows it's coming. The sharpness is an argument on its own: he is going to do this because he said that he would do it, the same way he'd said he would kick the ass of every bad guy whose ass he's ended up kicking, and the longer Usopp tries to avoid it, the longer it will take. Sensing this, he fidgets, bites his lip before very slowly holding his arm back out because it's not like he can do it by himself, anyway.

Some of the sharpness fades and is replaced with a more genuine satisfaction- when Usopp isn't worming away and trying to dodge he works with surprising speed and caution, very nearly has to start over and re-wrap because he's being too gentle to keep them in place. Like he's afraid to be too firm with these wounds, like it would suddenly cause his friend to break into tiny pieces in his fingers. Which is kind of ridiculous, but Usopp's not going to tell him that. And maybe he uses more bandaging than he should, but they all end up on the right body parts and said body parts can still be moved.

Luffy has possibly caught him in the worst-looking stage of healing, all half-yellow bruises and dried blood and the more vibrant inflamed red of pending infection- he sometimes freezes in the middle of everything for no apparent reason, but the reason is really quite apparent- and for this Usopp feels a pang of rough guilt and nearly apologizes again. But then Luffy picks back up like nothing ever happened, smile in place and Usopp wants to thank him instead.

At some point after it's over and done with, Luffy pulls his hat down over his eyes and leans back and he's going to say something, Usopp can just tell.

"Why didn't you wait?" The question comes at him a lot more lightly than it would have from anybody else, at least, which makes it easier. For something so easy, though, it seems to want to take a lot of thought.

"I..." At this he turns his head because he can almost feel Luffy staring at him, even if his captain- his friend, too, he reminds himself- isn't even facing his direction. Both of them on deck, eyes closed, feeling the grass and the sun and each other because they could _not_ be, right now, and Luffy is still managing to look at him without even having to look.

He hates that something like that is even possible. "I wanted to prove I could do it," Usopp mutters without thinking, words bitter and choking him on the way out. He firmly tells himself that he is not going to cry. "I knew I couldn't, but I wanted to be able to because if I couldn't even- I never could, and I knew it, and I didn't know why you let me stay if I couldn't do anything." He sits up, runs a brisk forearm across his eyes and swears under his breath because he's such a damn liar, those are tears which means he's crying after all.

Luffy cracks open one eye and regards him blankly, but makes no other move. He's waiting for something, Usopp thinks, in that patient way that only Luffy manages. Because whenever Luffy is patient it makes a person want to move faster about what they're getting to, because it means that he's _listening. _He does his best to stop the tears from forming because he's not a stupid girl, he's supposed to be done crying about this stuff- it's over. So he should be happy and let it be over already.

Luffy's always been better at leaving things in the past where they belong.

Usopp pulls his knees to his chest and tries for a halfhearted shrug. "I always- I never want you to be ashamed to be my captain. And maybe even make you proud to be, someday, if I can." His voice wavers and tapers off for a few moments before making a nearly too-quiet return. "You deserve friends who can do that."

There is silence then, long enough that he wonders if Luffy has fallen asleep. A flock of seagulls scatter as Zoro's head briefly pokes up from the crow's nest, only to settle again once he's laid back down. The clouds drift aimlessly, and he debates the merits of leaving while he's apparently got the chance.

Luffy shifts behind him and he doesn't look over- suddenly there is nothing but the rustle of clothing against grass, something slightly scratchy irritating the back of his neck, thin flexible arms around his torso, squeezing. Not too strongly, even though he knows Luffy is so much stronger than this, can feel the restraint behind it all but he's too busy being slightly numb to really register it.

"Usopp." The sound of his name is muffled almost comically against his shoulder. He really hopes that the wetness on his face is from withheld laughter on that part, because he can't possibly get away with crying so much in such a short span of time.

It doesn't help that Luffy's voice is just a little too quiet, a little too unsteady.

"You're my nakama." Three words, so much weight, a warmth in his chest where that hollow feeling used to be because somehow Luffy knew exactly what he needed to hear, all along. "I'm proud of all of my nakama, stupid."

He is not crying. Except that he is. "L-Luffy..."

The arms tighten slightly. "You, too. So don't leave again, okay?"

"I won't."

And he means it.


End file.
